Roof Insurance Inspection

Roof Insurance Inspection

If you’re trying to secure a new insurance policy for your home, or attempting to renew an existing policy, your provider may ask you to have your roof inspected by a qualified roofing professional. Unless you comply with this request, your application for coverage may be denied. If you need a roof inspection for insurance purposes in Orange County, turn to the experts at Tom Byer Roofing Service. For a small fee, we’ll perform a thorough exterior examination that should meet all of your provider’s guidelines. And if you fail to pass your inspection, we have a full range of affordable options for roof repair or replacement to satisfy your insurance carrier’s requirements.

Why Do Insurance Companies Require Roof Inspections?

Because it holds the weather at bay every day of the year, your roof is one of the most important structures in your home. However, this constant exposure to the elements also makes your roof one of the most likely locations for significant weather-related damage. In addition, your roof may be susceptible to damage from other sources, including termites, faulty construction techniques, faulty or improperly installed roofing materials and foot traffic.

Even in the best of circumstances, roofs only last for a limited amount of time. The usual lifespan of a roof depends on multiple factors, including the type and quality of the materials used during construction, the skill of the roofing contractor and the roof’s level of exposure to severe weather events. Most recently built homes in America now have roofs finished with asphalt composition shingles. On average, this type of roof will last for about 25 years. Tile roofs, which are also common in Southern California, may remain in good shape for half a century or longer. Roofs made from metal or slate also typically last for roughly the same amount of time. You can expect a roof finished with cement shingles to last for approximately a quarter of a century, while roofs finished with wood shingles and shakes will remain in good condition for an average of roughly 25 years.

Insurance companies have a natural incentive to keep their level of financial risk as low as possible. No matter where you live in the U.S., this principle firmly applies to any policy that covers your roof and other parts of your home. Depending on the materials used and the quality of construction, it can cost anywhere from roughly $5,000 to $25,000 or more to completely replace a roof. What’s more, homes with seriously damaged roofs commonly have additional problems related to water infiltration and other weather-related issues. Any company considering providing insurance for your home will try to avoid bearing the burden for these types of major future expenses by verifying the good condition of your roof in advance.

Insurance companies commonly request a roof inspection as part of an application for a new insurance policy. Your provider may also ask you to get an inspection as part of a policy renewal if you have a roof nearing the end of its typical lifespan. Unless you pass this inspection, your renewal may not be approved.

What Happens During a Roof Inspection?

The purpose of a roof inspection is to identify any existing problems that reduce the effectiveness of your roofing system, or may reduce the effectiveness of any part of the system in the near future. At Tom Byer Roofing Service, we begin the inspection process with a ground-level walk around the outside of your home. Key things we look for here include obvious signs of roof sagging, missing shingles or tiles, curled or buckled shingles, accumulations of algae or moss, and advanced granule loss on your shingles (usually the result of major storms or advanced wear and tear).

The next part of our comprehensive inspection is performed after climbing up to roof level on a ladder. This close-up view makes it possible to note any damage in the flashing material (e.g., metal, rubber, impregnated paper or plastic) used to stop water from passing through vulnerable sections of the roof and into the interior of your home. These vulnerable areas include the valley joints (the points where roof sections come together at a downward angle), the roof ridges, the eaves extending outward past your home’s walls and any openings made for chimneys, skylights, dormer windows and roof vents.

The roof-level portion of the inspection also gives us the opportunity to take a closer look at the condition of your shingles or tiles, check the condition of your gutters, and look for the presence of dry rot in roofs finished with wood shingles and shakes.

If your home has an attic, our inspection may also include an examination of the interior of your roof. This examination is largely intended to reveal the presence of any water damage caused by leaking or other forms of weather infiltration. It will also reveal the possible presence of termite infestation, which can seriously compromise the integrity of your roof and even trigger a roof collapse if not identified and corrected.

What Happens After a Roof Inspection?

If all goes well and you pass your roof inspection, we will provide you a positive written report for you to submit to your insurance company and receive approval for your new policy or policy renewal. However, if your roof fails to pass inspection, you could face some potentially hard choices. If you leave your roof in its current condition, your insurance company can deny coverage and leave you liable for a broad range of potentially major, expensive system failures throughout your home. Alternatively, Tom Byer Roofing can provide you an estimate for roof repair or replacement so you can meet the terms set forth by your provider.

Call on Tom Byer Roofing Service

At Tom Byer Roofing Service, we make it easy to schedule your low-cost roof insurance inspection. Just give us a call at our home office in Garden Grove. And in the event that your roof fails to meet your insurance company’s requirements, there’s no need to conduct an additional search for a roofing contractor to perform the necessary replacement or repair. With more than 60 years of experience in the industry, top-flight customer service and affordable pricing, we have everything required to restore your roof to reliable condition and qualify you for insurance coverage.

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